Tell us a bit about yourself
This year I'll undertake my 4th and final year of a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering degree at the University of Melbourne. Upon completion of my degree, which in fact is equivalent to science honours, I'm looking to start a PhD next year, preferably relating to the biomolecular aspect of my degree.
What interests you about science?
Science is the means by which we try to explain the seemingly complex workings of the universe and everything within it. While it might seem that we have come a long way and explained a lot since the early days the fact remains that what we have accomplished thus far is just the tip of the iceberg. The endless opportunities in science to discover and explain what is yet unknown, and its possible beneficial applications, are what inspire me to consider a career in science. I've always enjoyed studying science and find the chemical, physical and biological concepts relating to various disciplines of science intellectually stimulating.
What do you do in your spare time?
I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends as well as volunteering whenever I can find the time for it.
Tell us about your summer student experience at Bio21? What were the highlights?
My project at Bio21 was extremely interesting in that it involved making our own cheese which is probably the most fun and unusual work I've undertaken in a lab. I also learned various microscopy and other techniques such as Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy, Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy, Texture Analyser (TA-XT2) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) along with sample preparation and analysis, all of which I'm sure will be extremely useful in my future studies. There were many highlights but by far the biggest achievement and highlight for me was finding out that my written report will actually be acknowledged in the form of a publication.
Why did you apply for a Bio21 Studentship? What was your project about?
The Bio21 studentship provided an opportunity for me to obtain some lab experience and gave me an insight into what is expected in a research based career so to help me decide whether I wanted to pursue a career in research. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Dr Sally Gras's group, especially Dr Lydia Ong, my project supervisor, who was extremely patient, helpful and compromising and who made my entire experience really enjoyable.
My project involved looking at the effect of pH on Cheddar Cheese properties. Various batches of cheese were made and the purpose was to see the effect of pH on the microstructure, composition and textural properties of cheddar cheese. The properties were analysed through the use of various techniques including electron microscopy, texture analysis and spectroscopy to determine the optimal pH that will produce cheese of a high quality; a result that can be used by dairy industries. Indeed the project was funded in part by Dairy Innovations Australia Limited.
What does the future hold for you?
This year I'll be looking to complete my final year of engineering, hopefully with a high distinction, so I can commence my PhD next year in either protein structure and functionality, therapeutic drug delivery and design, tissue engineering or food engineering; the latter being my preference after undertaking this project.
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